Spring element



Filed May 9, 1960 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent Qfitice 3,025,048 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 3,025,048 SPRING ELEMENT Maurice Stuhnitz, Adrian, Mich., assignor to Stubnitz Greene Corporation, Adrian, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed May 9, 1960, Ser. No. 27,712 2 Claims. (Cl. 267--110) The present invention relates to improvements in spring elements of the type disclosed in application Serial No. 752,828, filed August 4, 1958, it being the object of the invention to adapt such elements to tubular, angular, and other forms of metal frame in which the ends of the elements have only a short bearing in the frame in contrast to the type of bearing possible with a wooden frame.

In the illustrated form of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a front fragmentary view of a tubular frame bridged by the spring elements,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the spring elements removed from the frame,

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on line LIL-III,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 taken on line IV-IV, and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a seating structure embodyingthe frame of FIG. 1.

As in the aforesaid application, the spring elements are designed to have a hinge connection at opposite ends with the frame structure bridged by the spring elements. With wooden frame structure the hinge connection may be readily obtained by drilling holes in the frame structure of the desired depth to receive single end portions disposed at right angles to the plane in which the remaining portion of the spring element is disposed. However, with metal frame structure, the wall of the frame structure is relatively thin and does not provide the same degree of support and stability for the hinge connection as wooden frame structure. In practice, this is the situation regardless of the cross-section of the metal frame, be it tubular, channel or angle.

The elements 10 are shown bridging the tubular frame members 12. Each spring element 10 has a linear bridging portion 14 and angular portions 16 and 18 extending in opposite directions. The portions 16 and 18 have L-shaped offset extensions 20 which are threaded through the holes 22. To insert the extensions 20 through the holes 22 of the frame member 12 it is necessary to slightly twist the angular portions 16 and 18 in opposite directions about the longitudinal axis of the linear portion 14. As the spring elements 10 are fabricated from spring steel wire, after insertion of the extensions 20, the elements 10 will tend to return to their unstressed state to snuggly support the elements 10 between the frame members 12 with the angular portions 16 and 18 having hinge connections with the members 12 through the location of the extensions 20 in the holes 22.

When a seated person leans back against the elements 10, the applied load Will cause the linear portions 14 to be flexed with a slightly hinging of the portions 1 6 and 18 taking place out of the axis of the holes 22, the extensions 20 defining the hinge points. It will further be appreciated that when the elements 10 are thus loaded, because the portions 16 and 18 extend in opposite direc tions on opposite sides of the linear portion 14, the elements 10 are stable in their bridging relation with the frame members 12.

The combination of the angular portions'l and their slight hinge action in the holes 22, in effect, provide the linear portions 14 with additional wire to provide a resilient, inexpensive support. Also, the elements 10 may be readily assembled in the frame members 12 by a simple snap in action following a slight twisting and requires no other form of attachment.

Having thus defined my invention what I claim is new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

I. A spring element for bridging spaced, thin-wall, metal frame members with opposite ends of the element hingedly supported in oflfset holes located in the frame members, comprising a central linear portion, angular portions at opposite ends of said linear portions, disposed in the same plane and extending in opposite directions, and offset L-shaped extensions on said angular portions extending in the same direction and disposed in planes normal to said first plane and providing a hinge point for said angular portions and adapted to be disposed in the offset holes of said frame members.

2. In combination, spaced, thin-wall, frame members, holes defined in said frame members, a spring element bridging said members, angular portions at opposite ends of said elements and extending in opposite directions, and L-shaped extensions on said portions extending in the same direction as the latter and projecting through said holes.

References Cited in the file of this patent 986,535 France Mar. 28, 1951 

